• Oklahoma Memo
  • Posts
  • Severe weather returns to Oklahoma, days after NWS layoffs

Severe weather returns to Oklahoma, days after NWS layoffs

This is a round-up of Oklahoma news stories for March 3, 2025

Here is the Oklahoma journalism I’ve hand-picked for you this Monday:

• OU meteorology students concerned for the future because of National Weather Service layoffs (OU Daily)

• Budget cuts, layoff rumors and more create chaos (StateImpact Oklahoma)

• Sooners baseball, softball stay undefeated

• And the Oklahoma City Thunder top San Antonio 146-132

Weather Update ⛈️

Severe weather season is here. Good chance of rain late Monday with a slight chance of severe thunderstorms. This will go into early Tuesday morning.

🌡️ Monday’s high in OKC 73°
🌡️ Monday’s high in Tulsa 63°

There is also a significant wildfire risk in the Panhandle (Monday) and then in southwest and southern Oklahoma. (OK Energy Today)

Please consider subscribing to this free newsletter. Subscribers get the ‘Oklahoma Memo’ in their inbox at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday—and subscribers get the privilege of commenting on all posts.

My inbox is open for suggestions, comments, tips, and press releases. The address is [email protected].

1️⃣ OU meteorology students concerned for the future because of National Weather Service layoffs

National Weather Center / University of Oklahoma

Just days after layoffs were executed nationwide inside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its National Weather Service, severe weather season returned to Oklahoma.

No, it wasn’t a bad day in the Sooner State, although southwest Oklahoma received its first tornado warning of the season.

Who issued that warning? The scientists at the National Weather Service.

OU Daily also interviewed some future weather scientists, students at the university’s school of meteorology, who say they’re concerned about the future of Oklahomans and their own.

More Coverage 👀

• Oklahoma lawmakers express concern over layoffs ahead of tornado season (OU Daily)

• Storm chasers say National Weather Service data critical to them, meteorologists (KFOR)

***

2️⃣ Budget cuts, layoff rumors and more create chaos for federal workers in Oklahoma

By Graycen Wheeler,Katie Hallum (ᏧᏟ)Sierra PfeiferAbigail SiatkowskiAnna PopeLionel RamosRobby Korth, KOSU
Click here to read the story.

The effects of the Trump administration’s efforts to consolidate the federal government are being felt nationwide, including in Oklahoma. That includes efforts to consolidate real estate, layoffs, and more.

Headed by billionaire Elon Musk, the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency maintains a running tab of contracts terminated and offices closed on its “Wall of Receipts.” As of Friday morning, the website lists 11 Oklahoma facilities that have been closed under the banner of “efficiency.”

The website, which has been criticized for posting inaccurate and incomplete information, does not specify what those facilities were. It only lists what agency they belonged to, what city they’re in, and how much savings DOGE claims from their closures.

(Be sure to click the link to learn what Oklahoma federal employment lawyers have to say about these layoffs.)

More Coverage 👀

• 25 Bureau of Indian Affairs offices to close — including the Osage agency (Osage News)

***

Oklahoma News Headlines 📰

• Cross Canadian Ragweed given surprise Oklahoma Hall of Fame honor at Cain’s Ballroom concert (News On 6)

• ONLY ON 2: Glossip's wife talks Supreme Court decision to grant him new trial (2 News Oklahoma)

• Legislation to establish patients bill of rights moves forward (Fox 23)

• Man, 43, hit and killed by semi along Interstate 44 (Fox 23)

• Wellston family devastated after house fire claims lives of pets, destroys home (KOCO)

• Nanobubble technology to improve OKC’s Bricktown canal (Oklahoma City Free Press)

• Neighbors object to youth homeless center expansion (Oklahoma Watch)

• AG’s office says property ownership requirement to hold Edmond office is unconstitutional (NonDoc)

• Murderer returned to Oklahoma to face execution after Trump issues executive order (Oklahoman, paywall)

• Zoning change would allow rooftop signs throughout Tulsa’s central business district (Tulsa World, paywall)

Cherokee Nation takes part in grand opening for Sallisaw Veterans Center (Cherokee Phoenix)

• Guilty of murder, jury recommends life, no parole, for Lawton man (Lawton Constitution, paywall)

• Oldest living Atoka Trail Rider turns 100 (KTEN)

***

Sports Headlines 🏀⚾

Jalen Williams scores 41 to lead Thunder past Spurs 146-132
SGA scored 31 as OKC improved to 49-11 on the season. There are just 22 games to play in the regular season. (Thunder / AP)

No. 1 Sooners make it a perfect weekend
Oklahoma’s softball team wrapped up a perfect weekend Sunday with a 17-1 win over Kansas City. (SoonerSports)

Oklahoma baseball sweeps CSUN to stay perfect
The Matadors from Cal State Northridge had OU on the ropes, up 2-0, but Skip Johnson’s team clawed back to stay unbeaten. (SoonerSports)

Cowboys beat No. 1 Texas A&M and Mississippi State in Houston (OKState)

Cowgirls softball sweeps Drake in home openers (OKState)

Sooners women upend No. 20 Alabama on Senior Day (SoonerSports)

Oklahoma State women beat Kansas, finish 3rd in league (OKState.com)

OU men fall to Ole Miss late, 87-84 (SoonerSports)

ORU baseball drops rubber game against No. 19 Dallas Baptist (ORUAthletics)

***

🗣️ Story Tips, Ideas, Feedback

My inbox is always open. If you have a link I should add to the newsletter, a story that isn’t getting enough attention, a press release, a press event you’d like to invite me to—or you just want to offer some good old-fashioned feedback, I’m available to you.

My mission is to amplify quality journalism, rekindling the daily news habit!

Best way to reach me is via email at [email protected].

Reply

or to participate.